TORONTO -- For once, expectations are sky high at the start of Toronto FC training camp. Bryan Rust Jersey . A team that has long been the MLS doormat --Toronto has won six, nine, 10, nine, six, five, and six games since coming into the league in 2007 -- enters the 2014 season as a shooting star thanks to the hoopla over high-priced signings Jermain Defoe, Michael Bradley and Giberto. "Its a bloody big deal" is the already tired slogan around the acquisition of England striker Defoe. But the atmosphere is unmistakable. "Theres a buzz," said general manager Tim Bezbatchenko. The players started arriving late this week and most trained indoors Friday, although manager Ryan Nelsen did not involve those who were are the recent Canadian national team camp in Florida. He also gave Bradley a pass, given his recent involvement in Serie A. "Michaels had a lot of football," Nelsen said. "He doesnt need it now. He just probably needs a little rest." Captain Steven Caldwell sat out with a minor calf knock while the club waited on visa paperwork for Brazils Gilberto and Jackson. Toronto leaves Sunday for Florida. The 31-year-old Defoe will remain with Englands Tottenham until the end of February. Toronto opens the season March 15 in Seattle. Nelsen says the team will give Defoe time to bed in when he gets here. "We have to be very careful and we have to judge it. Hes here for four years, its not like were going to rush him back, patch him up if we have to and throw him out on the field. We have to think long-term. "So when hes ready to play, hell be ready to play. If thats Game 1, then brilliant. If its Game 4, so be it." In his second year on the job, the 36-year-old Nelsen finds himself in a totally different situation. He arrived last year with minimal knowledge of the talent that awaited him. He has the squad of his choice largely in place this time. "In all honesty I thought it might take a couple of years to get to the situation where we are right now," said Nelsen. There was short-term pain for long-term gain last season. Some 27 players came in -- if you count Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim whose loan deal from QPR never quite happened -- and 26 exited. The revolving door has slowed ahead of 2014 but those coming in have been quality additions. The three DPs are joined by American Justin Morrow and Englands Bradley Orr on defence, Jackson and Canadian star Dwayne De Rosario in midfield and teenage Canadian forward Jordan Hamilton. The team still has some roster work to do on the status of Argentine midfielder Matias Laba and English fullback Richard Eckersley. Laba is in camp while Eckersley, with the teams blessing, is not. Laba also has a designated player deal, meaning Toronto is one over the three DP limit. So the club has to find a way to restructure his contract or move him on. The club likes the Argentine, who at 22 has many years ahead on him. Heres guessing the team finds a way to farm him out without losing track of him. Eckersley is a victim -- sort of -- of a rich contract that grew fatter this year when the team was forced to restructure his deal to help ease its salary cap burden last season. Toronto could take a one-time contract buyout to get out from under the Eckersley contract burden without taking a salary cap hit. Toronto can also reach a settlement with Eckersley or deal him while eating some of the contract, which would impact the cap. Other MLS teams are unlikely to take Eckersley at his current number. Still, Bezbatchenko is confident he can find a way. Given his background as a former MLS insider and the leagues seemingly fluid rules, he is likely to succeed. When it comes to his starting lineup, Nelsen often says his players -- not him -- pick the team with their performance on the pitch. When all his pieces are in place, one would expect a likely starting 11 of Joe Bendik in goal behind a backline of Morrow, Caldwell, Canadian Doneil Henry and Orr, a midfield of Jackson, Bradley, De Rosario (or fellow Canadian Jonathan Osorio) and Alvaro Rey with Gilberto and Defoe up front. Its a good-looking team sheet, although the rest of the roster is young. Nelsen likes what he sees but is realistic. He knows it takes time to turn around a franchise and establish a winning culture. "It doesnt matter who you put out on the field, the clubs got to learn how to win ... we know weve got a long way to go." Nelsen adds: "I say that with one side of my face. The other side says if theres a group of guys that can live up to any expectations, I feel like these guys will really enjoy it and will enjoy the pressure. "It will be different for them because we will have a target on our back. Everybody will want to beat us. Everybody wanted to play us because they knew they could beat us in the past. Now theyll want to play us because they will want to try to prove a point to beat us. "Its a different mentality and its going to be difficult. But its a lovely challenge to be in." A one-year partnership with the North Carolina-based Wilmington Hammerheads of the USL Pro League gives TFC a place to give some of its younger talent a chance to play. Toronto may also look to loan a player within MLS. Bezbatchenko was part of the process in getting the newly installed loan format approved while he was working in the league office. Canadian international Issey Nakajima-Farran is in the Toronto camp on trial. Pittsburgh Penguins Gear . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Craig Adams Jersey . This weeks Raptors Report puts a bow on Gays brief, 10-month tenure in Toronto and ponders how his absence will affect the teams offence. Are they a better team without him? In addition to acquiring some valuable cap flexibility, what impact will the four incoming players have this season and beyond? Click here for the Dec. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/991q-jaromir-jagr-jersey-penguins.html . -- Dane Fox scored his 61st and 62nd goals of the season and Brendan Gaunce had a goal and three assists as the Erie Otters downed the Kitchener Rangers 7-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action.TSN Hockey Insiders Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger have the latest on the possible movement involving the Canucks Ryan Kesler, the Rangers Ryan Callahan, and the Maple Leafs Dave Bolland. Not long ago Bob, you mentioned that the Vancouver Canucks are willing to deal anybody but the Sedin twins. Whats the latest on that front? Bob McKenzie: The team that Im most interested to see what, if anything, they do is the Vancouver Canucks. Now I can tell you this, there are multiple teams in the National Hockey League that are looking at veteran defenceman Alex Edler and veteran forward Ryan Kesler and are trying to find out if the Canucks are possibly serious about moving these guys and if so, what the price is going to be. Now keep in mind a couple of things - nobody in Vancouver leaves if they dont want to leave as there are lots of no-move, no-trade clauses, and we also want to see what happens with Kesler with the MRI coming back on the finger from the shot that he blocked at the Olympics. In New York talks have clearly broken down between Ryan Callahan and the Rangers with Callahan set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Is it now a foregone conclusion that hes going to move? Darren Dreger: Im told that its 99 per cent guaranteed that Ryan Callahan will get traded by the New York Rangers. There are many teams involved in this process. We know that the St. Louis Blues have been the most consistent in showing interest, and theres some connection with the Tampa Bay Lightning and other teams as well. But theres an ongoing back-and-forth with defenceman Dan Girardi as well. Many predicted that this deal would be done by now to keep Girardi with the Rangers. If hes not signed by March 5, the trade deadline, theres also a 99 per cent chance that he gets traded. McKenzie: And youre right Darren, there have been no talks over the Olympic break between Callahan and the Rangers. There has been ongoing dialogue with Girardi - there seems to be a little bit of a difference in term, maybe a little less than $500,000 a year difference in money, but theyre working and trying to get that done. In Toronto, Dave Bolland is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. How are negotiations going there, and what are the chances hes still a Maple Leaf on March 6? Dreger: Well this is going to be a real difficult negotiation for the Toronto Maple Leafs, very similar to the one they had with Tyler Bozak creeping up to the trade deadliine last year. Rick Macleish Jersey. Of course trading Bolland is an option, its believed he wants as much as $5 million, maybe better than $5 million per year to stay with the Leafs to avoid unrestricted free agency. So the Leafs have a tough decision to make, since they would rather pay him in the $4 million range than the $5 million range. So do they hold him, and use him as their own rental and take their chances on trying to sign him? They need to make a hockey deal and not a trade that would include draft picks coming back the other way. Then what do the Leafs need? Dreger: The Leafs need a top-four defenceman and theyre also in the market for a top-nine forward. Again, Dave Nonis is less interested in a rental player and more interested in adding pieces that are going to help this team in the playoffs. Whats the latest on Ryan Millers status with the Buffalo Sabres? McKenzie: There have been reports out there that the Sabres are trying to sign Miller. My clear understanding is that the priority and the preference is still to try and get a trade for netminder Ryan Miller and virtually any other player on the roster. General manager Tim Murray is open for business, and there isnt a single untouchable on this team, maybe with the exception of Zemgus Girgensons. The New York Islanders are also conducting an auction for forward Thomas Vanek and defenceman Andrew MacDonald. As many as six teams have enquired on Vanek, and there was at least one serious offer that was rejected by the Islanders. At least seven teams have enquired on McDonald but there have been no firm offers at this point. Dreger: Some are suggesting that maybe there is a three-way deal involving the St. Louis Blues and perhaps the Minnesota Wild where Jaroslav Halak might be included. Maybe Jake Allen, I know the Buffalo Sabres would want to get him as part of a package. Again, thats the time of year it is and thats the type of rumour mongering that goes on creeping up to the deadline. Were hearing that Mike Cammalleri has been offered a deal by the Calgary Flames. What are the chances that he remains a Flame after the deadline? McKenzie: I think its much more likely that he gets traded than remains a Flame, but there is a remote possibility that Cammalleri could get a deal done with the Flames. But at this point the smart money suggests that he would be - along with those guys like Matt Moulson, Thomas Vanek and others - as a goal-scoring winger who could be had as a rental. ' ' '